Total Country Level Population of Tiger 1411
ALLOCATION FOR TIGER CONSERVATION ENHANCED TO RS.600 CRORES DURING PLAN PERIOD
ENHANCEMENT OF VILLAGE RELOCATION PACKAGE FOR RS.10 LAKHS PER FAMILY
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 17:25 IST
Total country level population of tiger is 1411 with a 17.43 per cent
coefficient of variation. The lower limit is 1165 and the upper limit
is 1657. Making a presentation about Tiger census in a press conference
today Dr. Rajesh Gopal, Member Secretary, Tiger Project explained that
the assessment shows that though the tiger has suffered due to direct
poaching, loss of quality habitat, and loss of its prey, but there is
still hope. The government has declared more eight new tiger reserves
to strengthen the population of tigers. He said an area of around 31111
sq.km. of tiger habitat has been notified/identified by tiger states as
per provisions of the wildlife (Protection Act).
New and additional methods have been used in Tiger Census. Giving the
details the Minister said The Project Tiger Directorate (now the
National Tiger Conservation Authority) of the Ministry of Environment
and Forests initiated refinement of the ongoing process of tiger
estimation using pugmarks (footprints) in 2002. This was a
collaborative initiative with the Wildlife Institute of India and 17
Tiger States. Based on a pilot study done in the Satpura Landscape of
Madhya Pradesh, the methodology was mainstreamed as a country-level
process, which was endorsed by the Tiger Task Force. The new process
has been conceived, financially supported and implemented by the
Ministry of Environment and Forests (now the National Tiger
Conservation Authority), with internal and external peer review during
field data collection.
Dr. Rajesh Gopal informed that results pertaining to four major tiger
States (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan) were
finalized / released in May 2007. This report evaluates the current
status of tigers, co-predators and their prey in India. The Member
Secretary informed that the status of tiger, its co-predators, prey and
its habitat has not significantly / adversely changed in the Tiger
Reserves and Protected Areas. However, there is a decline in the same
in outside areas. The spatial occupancy of tigers and other animals
have been done for all the 17 tiger States, and mapped in the GIS
domain.
Regarding non-availability of Census in certain areas Dr. Rajesh Gopal, cited difficult circumstances and reasons:
(a) Indravati Tiger Reserve (Chhattisgarh): Estimation could not be
done since the area is inaccessible owing to Naxalite engineered
problems.
(b) The population estimate relating to Palamau Tiger Reserve
(Jharkhand) could not be fully assessed owing to extremist engineered
disturbances. However, available information, based on spatial
occupancy data collected, indicates a low density of tiger in the area
ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 per hundred sq.km.
(c) The population estimation in Sunderbans (West Bengal) is ongoing as
a separate exercise owing to the unique habitat conditions.
There are three promising areas i.e. with high probability of long-term persistence. They are:
(1) Shivalik-Gangetic Plain Landscape Complex Corbett
(2) Central Indian Landscape Complex (Kanha)
(3) North East Hills and Brahamaputra Plains (Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong)
Tiger populations having potential to persist as Meta populations are:
(1) Rajaji-Corbett
(2) Dudhwa-Katerniaghat
(3) Satpura-Melghat
(4) Pench
(5) Bhadra-Kudremukh
(6) Parambikulam-Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
The Census suggests that four Landscapes in the country are in need of inputs:
(1) Nagarjunasagar Srisailam
(2) Ranthambhore-Kuno
(3) Indravati-Northern Andhra
(4) Bandhavgarh-Sanjay-Palamau
To ensure the long-term survival of tigers in India it is imperative to
offer strict protection to establish source populations, and manage
areas with restorative inputs by involving local communities in buffer
and corridor areas by providing them with a direct stale in
conservation. The Government of India has taken several steps to
strengthen tiger conservation in the country, through implementation of
the urgent recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. This, interalia,
includes enhancement of village relocation package from Rs. 1.00 lakh
per family to Rs. 10.00 lakhs, central assistance for protection and
deployment of Tiger Protection Force involving local people and ex-army
personnel, rehabilitation/resettlement of denotified tribes/communities
involved in traditional hunting, strengthening corridor connectivity,
providing safeguards and retrofitting measures for wildlife,
establishing eight new tiger reserves, fostering eco-tourism to benefit
local people, and strengthening the National Tiger Conservation
Authority. The allocation for Tiger Conservation has also been enhanced
to Rs. 600.00 crores during the Plan period.
Earlier the Minister of State Shri S. Regupathy, MOS of Environment and
Forests released the report of Tiger Census and State Forest Report
2005. A presentation was also made on State Forest Report.
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